Railway-tie.



No. 817,119. PATENTED APR. 3, 1906.

J. KENNY. RAILWAY TIE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 23, 1905.

Giro cum PA'rENT OFFICE.

JOHN KENNY, OF AMHERST CANADA.

RAILWAY-TIE.

Specification .of Letters Patent.

Patented April 3, 1906.

Application filed June 23, 1905. Serial No. 266.636.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, JOHN KENNY, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Amherst, in the Province of Nova Sootia and Dominion of Canada, have inventednew and useful Improvements in Railway Ties, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to. railway-ties, and especially to an improved 'cap or coveringplate therefor, and has for its objects to produce a comparatively simple inexpensive device of this character which may be readily and secui-ely applied to the ties, one which in practice-will protect the tie from rain and the like, thus to prolong its life, and one whereby the usual method of spiking the rails to the tie is obviated, thus overcoming loosening and spreading of the rails.

With these and other objects in view the invention comprises the novel features of construction and combination of parts more fully hereinafter described.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of a tie having my improved protector-plate applied thereto. Fig. 2' is a top plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a crosssection taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the protecting-plate.

Referrin to the drawings, 1 designates a cross-tie o ordinary "form and material, to which are secured rails 2 of usual construc-' tion, there being applied to the upper face of i the tie and beneath the rails a protecting member or plate 3, secured in place by spikes or other-suitable fastening members 4.

The protecting member or cap-plate 3 constituting the subj cot-matter of the present invention is composed of steel or other suitable metal and is provided at its longitudinal side edges with downturned flanges 5, designed to bear upon the longitudinal side faces of the ,tie 1, said flanges-being perforated at appropriate intervals, as at 6, for reception of the fastening members 4, which are entered horizontally into and transversely of the tie,

it being understood that the plate 3 is of suitable dimensions to wholly cover the upper face of the tie for a purpose which will presently appear.

Cast or otherwise formed upon the upper face of the member or plate'3 and at suitable points to engage upon the outer sides of the respective rails isa pair of outer rail-en aging members or blocks 7, constituting fixe stops or abutments, there being provided for cooperation with said blocks secondary rail-engag- "11 per ing members or clamps 8, removably secured in place by means of fastening members 9, preferably in the form of lag-bolts extended vertically through the tie 1, there being formed in the plate 3 openings 10 to receive the bolts.

In practice the plates 3 are applied to the upper faces of the ties and secured by the fastening members 4, and after the rails 2 have been positioned with their outeredges bearing against the fixed clamping'niembers or blocks 7 the cooperating blocks 8 are applied and secured in'plac-e by means of the bolts 9, it being noted that under this construction spiking of the rails to the ties is obviated and fhat owing to the blocks 7 being fixed liability to the rails spreading is wholly overcome.

It may be mentioned that while wooden railway-ties are in manyrespects preferable they are subjected to deterioration through the action of rain or snow, it being a well-established fact that the upper faces of the ties, and particularly at a point beneath the rails, are subjected to more rapid decay than are its other and lessexposed faces. It is apparent, therefore, that under my construction and by the application of the protecting member or plate 3 to the upper faces of the ties the life of the latter is materially prolonged.

From the foregoing it is apparent that I produce a simple device admirably adapted for the attainment of the ends in View, it being understood that minor changes in the de tails herein set forth may be resorted to Without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. A tie having a metal protecting-plate applied to and wholly covering its upper face, said plate being provided with downturned portions designed to engage the side faces of the tie, and fastening members entered through said downturned portions into the tie.

2. A tie, a protecting-plate applied to the upper face thereof and prov ided with longitu dinally-extending downturned flanges bearingupon the side faces of the tie, and fastening members entered through said flanges into the tie. r

3. A tie, a protecting=plate applied to the face thereof, means for securing the p ate in place, fixed rail-engaging members provided on said plate, and removable railengaging members designed for cooperation member entered through the. tie and plate for with the first-named members to secure the securing the removable member in place. ro rails in place. In testimony whereof I aflix my signature 4. A tie, a plate applied to the upper face in presence of two Witnesses.

thereof, a fixed rail-engaging member pro- JOHN KENNY. vided on said plate, a removable rail-enga Witnesses: ing member designed for cooperation Wit J. L. RALSTON, the first-named member, and a fastening A. G. MACKENZIE. 

